Police unable to trace house theft suspects
ChitralToday that in the absence of the inmates at least four people entered his house on the night of Dec 8, 2017. When he returned the following day, the door of the house was closed from inside. The burglars had entered the house after breaking the windowpane and exited from the same window. He said Rs210,000 in cash, jewellery worth about Rs40,000, two Japanese radios, two Korean double-bed blankets and other household items were taken away by the burglars. He said on his complaint, the police started an investigation and later called three officials from Chitral who collected samples from the house and sent them for forensic investigations to trace the burglars. On the basis of suspicions, the police also investigated some youngsters from the village but due to the lack of evidence later let them off. He said so far no FIR of the case had been registered. When contacted, Yarkhun Lasht police station house officer (SHO) Sahibur Rehman told ChitralToday that the result of the forensic examination had not been received yet. He said the family was not cooperating with the police in further investigation of the case and as a result no FIR could be registered against anyone. The SHO said the case was still in the investigation phase but the police would trace the culprits and bring them to justice.]]>
It is a very strange case where investigation is being carried out prior to the registration of FIR. As per law i.e. Criminal Procedure Code 1898, investigation can only be carried out after registration of case. No Police officer is authorized to carry out investigation prior to FIR. And he is duty bound to register it immediately when a cognizable offence is reported, further FIR should be launched at once rather than this much delay. It is high time that DPO sb should take notice of it (unless Chitral has some of its own criminal procedure code by which investigation is carried out first and then FIR registered).